2022 First-Year Student Profile

The start of the 2022-23 academic year at the College of Charleston brings with it the next generation of students to join the Cougars’ ranks. And the newest members of the CofC family come from across the country and around the globe, bringing with them fresh ideas and perspectives that will add to the richness of life at the College.

Get to know the newest Cougars with these facts and figures:

By the Numbers*

Number of First Year Students: 2,230
Number of states: 47, along with D.C. and overseas military bases
Number of countries represented (excluding U.S.): 18
Number of students from one state other than S.C.: 143, New Jersey
Farthest number of miles traveled to attend the College of Charleston by a student (India): 8,945
Number of high schools represented: 1,061

A Closer Look

Most common predominantly female students’ names: Emma, Olivia, Caroline, Ava, Ella
Most common predominantly male students’ names: Michael, Aidan, Ryan, Jack, Connor
Top names that males and females share: Alex, Cameron, Hayden
Most popular birth month: April (224 students)
Most popular birthdate: 12/18/2003 (14 students)
5 sets of twins
Largest South Carolina feeder high schools: Wando High School (56); Fort Mill High School (38); River Bluff High School (29); James Island Charter High School (27); Summerville High School (22); Bluffton High School (20); Charleston County School of the Arts (19); Catawba Ridge High School (18); Fort Dorchester High School (18); Academic Magnet High School (15); Oceanside Collegiate Academy (15); Stratford High School (15); West Ashley High School (15)
Largest out-of-state feeder high schools: Ramapo High School, New Jersey (8); Conestoga High School, Pennsylvania (7); Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, New Jersey (7); Saint Anthonys High School, New York (7); Cardinal Gibbons High School, North Carolina (5); Middletown High School South, New Jersey (6); Myers Park High School, North Carolina (6); Scituate High School, Massachusetts (6); Archbishop Spalding High School, Maryland (5); Barrington High School, Rhode Island (5); Broadneck High School, Maryland (5); Greenwich High School, Connecticut (5); John T. Hoggard High School, North Carolina (5); Laurel Springs School, California (5); Morristown High School, New Jersey (5); Ocean City High School, New Jersey (5); Southside High School, New York (5)
Most popular South Carolina hometowns: Charleston (85); Mount Pleasant (70); Fort Mill (65); Summerville (51); Lexington (43); Myrtle Beach (41); Columbia (33); Bluffton (30); Greenville (23); Greer (23)
Most popular out-of-state hometowns: Atlanta, Georgia (23); Charlotte, North Carolina (19); Washington, D.C. (11); Annapolis, Maryland (9); Wilmington, North Carolina (8); Marietta, Georgia (8); New Orleans, Louisiana (8); Raleigh, North Carolina (8); Roswell, Georgia (8); Ellicott City, Maryland (7); Waxhaw, North Carolina (7); West Chester, Pennsylvania (7)
Countries represented: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Ghana, India, Kazakhstan, Norway, Somalia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdon
Most popular intended majors among S.C. residents: psychology (124), biology (111); business administration (88), computer science (52); pre-health (42); marine biology (41); undecided (37); exercise science (31), elementary education (27); political science (27); marketing (26)
Most popular intended majors among non-residents: business administration (202); undecided (147); psychology (141); biology (99); marketing (72); communication (55), exercise science (43), finance (37); international business (28); political science (27)

Academic Profile*

7 in-state valedictorians and 8 in-state salutatorians
4 out-of-state valedictorians and 3 out-of-state salutatorians
Palmetto Fellows: 135
Highest ACT Score: 35
Highest SAT Score: 1550
Highest GPA: 95.52

Honors College Incoming Student Profile

Total number of students: 276
Average GPA – S.C. residents: 4.99
Average GPA – non-residents: 4.26
Number of S.C. residents: 119
Number of non-residents: 157
30 states, Argentina, Australia and India are represented
190 high schools are represented
58 students are bilingual and 4 are trilingual
33 students are the first in their family to attend college
Most popular majors: biology, psychology, business administration, biochemistry/marine biology (tied) and English
Most popular birth months: November, February and December